Lubricating device for locomotive-journal boxes



July 13 1926. 1,592,563

H. M. GRAY LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL BOXES Filed Jan. 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I .Cl/5, 5

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July 13,1926. 1,592,563

H. M. GRAY LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVE JOURNAL BOXES Filed Jan. 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I l l I l l I l Patented Julyfis, i926.

UNITED STATES HUBERT M. GRAY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

LUBRICATING DEVICE ron `nocoiuotrivia-JOURNAL Boxes.

Application led January 20, 1926. Serial o. 82,393'.

This invention'relates to locomotive drive boxes but particularly to a lubricating device for locomotive journal boxes and asso-A ciated parts.

Objects of this invention are to provide a new and improved lubricating device 1 `or wedges ordinarily used in connection with journal boxes for locomotives and the likeV which may be automatic, eicient and reliable in operation, to provide means controlled by rotation of the axle for electing lubricationI between a locomotive journal box and the usual reversely positioned wedges associated therewith whereby lubricant is automatically delivered to the va- 'rious parts and is retained in sufficient quantities so that in the event that the main supply is checked or shut oli, the tube surfaces will be lubricated, thereby eliminating the danger of hot boxes; and to provide a reliable and efiicient .device of the above character having the new and improved features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more clearly described.

This invention comprises in one of its aspects a lubricating device for locomotive drive boxes having ports, passages and channels so arranged that lubricant is forced by' the rotatingv axle to the various parts so that eiiicient lubricationis secured. Such device is intended particularly for use in connection with oppositely e positioned wedges which are customarily used in drive boxes and has been found admirably adapted for maintaining well lubricated surfaces over an extended period of time, even though the main supply should give out. It may be here said that this is accomplished by the provision of channels or relatively shallow grooves which are .adapted to retain lubricant until such time as it is needed.

This invention is shown for purposes of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a locomotive drive box assembl Fig. 2 is. a .transverse section on the fine 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the wedges; Fi 4 is a side elevation ofthe other wedge; ig. 5 is a front elevation of the drive box; Fig. 6 is an end view of the drivebox; and Fig.

i 7 is a bottom plan view of the'.- drive box.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a locomotive drive box housing 1 of usual construction having an opening 2 to receive thek locomotive drive box 3 which is formed with flanges 4 at each side i thereof to lit over the sides of the housing 1 as indicated in Fig. 2. Secured to the upper portion of the drive box 3 is a crown brass 5 which is formed with a portion extending outwardly from the drive box after a manner well known in the art.

Rotatable within the drive box is the axle 6 and positioned beneath the axle and inengagement therewith is a screen 7 against which lubricating material 8, such as saturated felt-like material, hard oil or other suitable lubricant is pressed by a coil spring 9 acting against afollower plate 10. The lubricating device is arranged within a cellar or casing 11 which is suitably supported in the drive box 3. It will thus be seen that rotation of the axle 6 draws lubricantfrom the material 8, and, as the material becomes used thev spring 9 compensates therefor, thereby maintaining a constant pressure and supply of lubricant tothe axle. To remove the lubricant-casing 11, a pin 13 detachably engagingears in the casing 11 and drive box 3 respectively, may be removed so that the casing may drop out or be removed for replenishing the lubricant supply.

In order to hold the drive box 3 in position, a bar 12 extends horizontally. beneath the housing 1 and is attached thereto in any suitable or desired manner. For eliminating lateral play or motion between the drive box 3 and housing 1 oppositely positioned wedges 14 and 15 are arranged within the housing 1, one side of the wedge 14C engaging the housing and one side of the wedge 15 engaging the drive box 3. When the wedges 14 and 15 are properly positioned undesirable relative movement between the drive box and housing is eliminated, although suicient movement is permitted to prevent excessive wear between the parts and also to enable the vehicle to ride more easily without the attendin` jars and shocks which otherwise would e occasioned. In view of the fact that the use of these wedges is old in the art further description and discussion thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Spring means are provided for holding the wedge 14 in properly adjusted position, and, for this purpose a screw is in threaded engagement with thebar 12 and extends into the wedge 14. A collar 17 is mounted on the screw and a coil spring 18 between the collar 17 and bracket 19 urges the wedge 14 yieldingly upward. It is to be understood,

however, that the above adjustment feature is well known and forms no part of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, means areprovided for lubricating the surfaces between the wedges 14 and 15, and also between the wedges and respective adjacent surfaces so that in operationthe parts may move relative to each other and the binding which has heretofore frequently occured between the parts is eliminated. Furthermore,

. means are provided for retaining sulicient fio amount of lubricant in the region of the relatively movin surfaces so that should the main supply ecome exhausted the ostored lubricant will then be brought into use so that the liability of hot boxes and -cr stallization is materially reduced. A urther feature of the invention resides in that lubri# cant is automatically distributed by means of the axle to the desired parts and this has been found to be much more advantageous than a manual force feeding which has heretofore been employed because of the more reliability of operation of the axle distributing medium. Owing to the tremendous pressure which is imposed upon locomotive driving boxes the feeding of lubricant manually to more or less secluded parts has been found decidedly impractical.

' Referring to the drawings, the wedge or shoe 15 is formed with a plurality of longitudinall spaced ports 20 which extend through t e wedge from one side to, the other, and it will be understood that the number and arrangement of these ports or apertures may be changed in any desired manner which is found 1n practice to be of most advantage. Communicating with the ports 20v are (passages 21 on each side of the wedge an these passa s are inclined in different directions an terminate at points spaced inwardly from the side edges of the wedge.

The wedge 14is similarly formed with ports 22 extending transversely from one side to the other and commumcating with the ports 22 are zigza channelsy 23 on each side of the wedge. T e ports and channels in this wedge may likewise be arranged inany suitable or preferred manner, although 1t has been found that the arrangement shown on the drawings is admirably adapted for the purpose.

As most clearly 'indicated in Figs. 5- and 6, the outer side of the drive box 3 adjacent the wed e 15 is formed with a series of communicating channels 24 arranged in the form of a parallelogram with channels connecting various sides of the parallelogram. Communicating with this channel arrangement is a passage 25 which extends through the drive box and crown brass 5. The inside of the crown brass 5 is provided with an X- shaped channel 26 and communicating therewith is a channel 27 'which leads from the passage 25. The'gopposite end of the channel 27 communicates with a passage 28 which leads through the drive box to a shoe 29, which is arranged between the drive box and the drive box housing. A channel`30 this lubricant is forced through .thechani nel 27 and passage 25 to the series of channels 24. Some of the lubricant from the channels 24 passes into the channels 21 in the wedge 15 and through the ports 20 to the opposite side thereof. rlhe lubricant then" finds its wa into channels 24 in the wedge 14 and on oth sides thereof.

It will be seen that b this arrangement lubricant is thoroughl istributed over the rubbing surfaces ofl t e wedges, drive box and driving box housing. It is to be noted that a small amount of lubricant will constantly be passed through the above mentioned channels, passages and ports and the over abundant supply will be retained in the channels or at least some of them so that, in the event that the main supply of. lubricant becomes exhausted or that some of the passages become clo reason the main fee 1s closed, the lubricant stored in the channels can then be utilized ed or for some other to prevent the creation of hot boxes'and' other disastrous results usually 'resultant from lack of lubricant. In this manner the channels provide a rserve supply of lubricant when needed.

Lubricant is likewise forced through the channel 27, and assage 28 to the shoe 29 so that the surface tween this shoe and driving box housing is lubricated. Furthermore, lubricant is passed through the chan- `nel 30, passage 31. tothe front face of the v What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

ing, an axle in said journal box, a pair of .1. A device of the class described com Aprising a housing, a journal box in the housreversely positioned wedges between theA outside of said journal box and said housin lubricating ports extending through eac wedge, lubricating channels or grooves in sage from which it passes to the passaves i adjacent surfaces, in the event the main sup and channels in' the Wedges, and the wedge channels retain suicient lubricant to take care of lubrication between the Wedges and ply becomes exhausted or stopped up.

2. A device of the class described comprising a housing, a journal box in the housing, a crown brass for said journal box, an axle in said journal box, a pair of reversely positioned wedges between the outside ofv said journal box and said housing, lubricating ports extending through said wedges,

20 lubricating channels formed in the faces of said wedges, a passage leading from the inside of said journal box to the .adjacent wedge, a passage from the inside of said crown brass to the outer face thereof, and means for supplying lubricant to said axle whereby the axle carries a portion of the lubricant to the journal box passage from which` it passes to the passages and channels in the wedges, and the wedge channels retain suiicient lubrication to take care of lubrication between the wedges and adjacent surfaces in the event the main supply becomes exhausted or stopped up, and lubricant is also carried through the passage in said crown brass for lubricating the outer face thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

HUBERT M. GRAY. 

